Shine
by BetaReject
Summary: Shepard could not explain what drew her back to the nameless krogan who had come to their aid but one thing was certain she could not leave Korlus without him.


**Beta:** A huge thank you to **cariel** for going over this and making sure I clarified things so they made sense you freaking rock! =D

Also a big thank you to **thessillian** for going through this as well and ensuring everything is enpar with the ME universe =D

**Author's note:** Written for **jameson9101322** whose artwork and tribute to this minor character completely blew me away. A huge thank you to them for breathing life into this unknown krogan, for giving him the of Tango and making us love him as much as they do.

On that note a huge thank you to Jameson910322 for permitting me to post this up all credit for Tango and his back story belongs to them! =D

* * *

Shepard did not know what drew her back to find the nameless krogan who had come to their aid a short time ago. Their mission was complete. There was no reason to remain. Okeer was removed while his legacy-still in cryo-stasis-was being loaded onto the ship. Yet Shepard could not bring herself to leave, not yet.

"Time is running out, Commander. We should get going."

Aeron nodded absently in reply as she waved a hand, both acknowledging and dismissing, Miranda's clipped statement. For now, the Cerberus officer would just have to wait. This was something she had to do.

"I'll be right back."

Without another word, she departed alone to locate the nameless, faceless krogan who had risked his life to aid theirs.

The omni-tool on her wrist thrummed to life and soon she was scouring the landscape looking for sentient life-signs. Save the crew aboard the clone-Normandy and the occasional small rodent, there was not much else in the way of intelligent life on Korlus until she picked up his signature.

This was a mission of another sort, one far too personal for her to discuss with anyone else. Shepard had a feeling Garrus would understand and knew Jack definitely would, but neither of them was here, so she kept her thoughts to herself.

It was not long before she tracked his boot prints; a skill she learned from her childhood. As a child, she used to think tracking was such a useless ability, certainly in comparison to the omni-tool's capabilities. Nevertheless, as she had grown, she realised there were times when such skills were needed and Shepard found herself learning more about the krogan simply by the direction of his footsteps.

He was clearly seeking out something, or someone. The footprints stopped suddenly and from the formation of the settled dust she could tell he had at one time sat alone amongst the rubble while his brothers lay dead all around him. Shepard did not wonder what brought him here or why he chose this place to rest, the montage of death and decay was answer enough.

She swiftly forced herself to forget the time in her life when she experienced something very similar to this. Continuing onward, she eventually found him and when she did, she knew it was a sight that she would never forget.

Poised with rifle in hand, the krogan stood in silence, staring at a vibrant and beautiful bloom. Aeron was not a woman familiar with botany but knew her mother would have immediately recognized it. She would have also marvelled at the flower's presence in the midst of such destruction, not unlike this young krogan.

Unable to bring herself to break the krogan's reverie, Shepard remained silent studying him as he studied the flower. She did not know what he was thinking but knew enough to know he was not like any other krogan she had ever met.

She remembered reflected that Wrex would have loved the boy as if he were his own. The thought of her friend brought a hint of a smile to her lips. She would have to find a way to visit him.

"Its name is Shine."

The sound of the young krogan's voice drew her out of her thoughts, causing her to give him a quizzical look. "Shine?"

"Yes."

In that instant the young commander knew that she would not leave this place without him.

She called him Tango as he was tank born and he convinced her that Shine needed to be protected. Together they made their way back to the ship with the elegant flower now carefully uprooted and cradled in his arms.

Shepard did not know how she was going to explain the krogan or _Shine_ to her crewmates and for the moment, she did not care. As her late brother once said "some things defy all explanation." This was one of them and that was enough for her.


End file.
